Speaking on TV3’s New Day on Wednesday, Sammy Gyamfi said corruption cases like the visa racketeering that rocked Ghana’s 2018 Commonwealth Games participation justify the wide perception that the current government is steeped in graft.

He was speaking after a Deputy Minister of Information, Pius Enam-Hadzide, touted the passage of the RTI Bill, on Tuesday, as a great step in the fight against corruption by the government.

Mr Enam-Hadzide said the government deserves praise for making sure that the Bill, which has been in and out of Parliament, has finally been passed.

But Sammy Gyamfi directly pointed out to the Deputy Minister that he was an example of corruption in the current government, citing how the latter was cleared by the president in the probe into the Commonwealth Games case.

Mr Enam-Hadzide was the Deputy Youth and Sports Minister when the case happened.

The Deputy Information Minister, however, strongly disagreed with the NDC national officer for his assertions.

But Sammy Gyamfi insisted: “You are the worst government when it comes to the fight against corruption”.

He rather saw the passage of the RTI Bill as a “significant achievement for the country” and no single government can lay claim to its passage.

He observed that it is a feather in the cup of Ghana as a beacon of democracy in Africa.

Source: 3news.com|Ghana

]]>Former President John Mahama is Wicked, I Regret Campaigning For Him – Akua Donkorhttp://ghanasky.com/john-mahama-is-wicked-akua-donkor/
Thu, 28 Feb 2019 06:02:54 +0000http://ghanasky.com/?p=16029

Former President John Dramani Mahama with Akua Donkor

The Founder of the Ghana Freedom Party’s (GFP), Akua Donkor says she regrets and feels ashamed spending her energy and resources over the years to campaign and defend for ex-President Mahama whom she describes as ‘wicked’.

Madam Akua Donkor who until now, had always referred to the ex-President as her son, denounced Mr Mahama claiming the latter is a dishonest person and urged Ghanaians not to put their trust in him.

The maverick politician cum farmer in an interview with Akwasi Nsiah on Kasapa News stated she has had a change of mind about Mr Mahama after he denied her access to a house at Sakumono which she supported him to build for her.

Watch Full Audio-Video Below:

“I told John Mahama that I don’t have money to buy land at Sakumono so when he started building the flats which at the moment is twelve floors complete at Sakumono, I gave him gold in exchange of a house within the flats. He later asked some persons to lead me to the flat and show me on which floor I’ll be staying and I later told the whole world that Mahama had given me a house. I stay in a hotel whenever I come to Accra so a few days ago, I decided to move into the house at Sakumono, but Mahama sent some people to stop me and turned round to tell me that President Akufo Addo doesn’t want me to stay in that building. That day I had to sleep on the compound of the MPs flat till the next day.

“I’ve suffered a lot because of John Mahama, I’ve gone through hell because of my support for him. But now he’s stabbed me in the back and I regret ever campaigning for him. I feel so bad that I just can’t forgive myself.”

In 2016, Madam Akua Donkor told the world that then-President John Dramani Mahama gave her two Pajero vehicles and a three bedroom house.

Ghana's former President John Dramani Mahama and current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to GhanaSky.com analyst through Columnist Rodney's Potpourri, Ghana's economy, education, health, employment, security and a host of other indicators will determine Ghana election 2020.

Therefore, the citizens of Ghana, must demand from NPP or NDC what they did during their four-year tenure.

So, that would help us to decide between ‘Nana Addo, Toaso’ (continue) and ‘JM, Sanbra’ (come back)

Over the weekend, former President John Mahama (JM) simply drowned his opponents in a political tsunami during the National Democratic Congress (NDC’s) presidential primaries, leaving them flailing and gasping for precious oxygen.

Of course, any casual observer of the primary’ campaign knew what was coming, including, I am sure, his opponents.

Perhaps their only hope was that the inevitable blow would be merciful and delivered in a velvet glove. But the party spoke emphatically with an iron fist devoid of the niceties of even a flimsy paper glove.

Candidate Mahama, obvious choice

Truth be told, the NDC really had no choice other than JM because he was their most visible and best-known candidate.

Some argue that it is likely the NDC will lose the 2020 election and that the party will struggle to win 2024 with a new face.

After all, since 1992, every incumbent party has enjoyed no less than two terms, and no fresh opposition candidate has ever won the presidency in a first attempt.

But, I am sure the general thinking in the party, quite understandably, is that there is always a first time, that JM is their best shot for now, and that should they get to that bridge in 2024, they will cross it.

The fact that constitutionally, he would only be eligible to serve one term if he wins the 2020 election, seemed to be far away from the minds of the over 213,000 delegates who donated their thumbprints to him last Saturday.

Election 2020

I believe Election 2020 promises to be an exciting campaign, akin to a ‘Thriller in Manilla’ or ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ affair, to borrow from the screaming media headlines of the frenzied boxing heyday of Mohammed Ali, Joe Frazer, George Foreman et al.

We will, for the first time in our electoral history, be witnessing a presidential election battle between a former and an incumbent president.

It couldn’t get juicier than this. The former president is not amused over the fact that he lost his job. Now he wants it back.

And I do not blame him for wanting to be our first Comeback President.

After all, he holds the unenviable record of being the first incumbent President in this country to lose a re-election bid, and by such an embarrassingly huge margin.

Among others, he must want to wipe that ugly blot off his otherwise star-studded political CV which saw him rise from MP through to Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President and then finally President. And so, he will go into the election with all that he can muster.

Battle of records

Indeed, I believe the Election 2020 campaign has just begun-that is, if it did not begin on January 7, 2017 right after the inauguration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Cynics argue that this country is in a perpetual campaign mode because every decision or step by government and opposition is directed at the next general election.

I am excited about the 2020 campaign for the simple reason that neither candidate can make lofty promises to us without a reference point-that reference point being their own four-year records as President of this country.

On the economy, education, health, employment, security and a host of other indicators, we, the citizens, must demand of them what they did during their four-year tenure.

That would help us to decide between ‘Nana Addo, Toaso’ (continue) and ‘JM, Sanbra’ (come back). Simple.

Dirty politics?

Of course, there will be some for whom an issue-based campaign is an anathema.

They would prefer to wallow in the cesspit of dirty, ugly ethnocentric politics and divisiveness, pitching one ethnic group against the other.

Others would find refuge in distributing money and all manner of cheap items in a squalid to clinch the election.

It will be naïve to pretend that this will not occur, or that it will not make some impact on the electoral outcome. But we can, and must, rise above ‘Moneycracy’ and ‘Ethnocracy’.

We have carried alcohol, and we have carried water, as our elders put it. We must strive to be more discerning.

The 2020 clash must be of ideas and records, not of ethnicity or money.

Afrifa Yamoah-Ponkoh and a former deputy Minister of Sports, Joseph Yamin

Peace FM is reliably informed that former Municipal Chief Executive for Ejisu-Juabeng in the Ashanti Region, Afrifa Yamoah-Ponkoh and a former deputy Minister of Sports, Joseph Yamin, have been picked by the Ashanti Regional Police Command, in connection with Monday's fatal shooting that rocked the Regional Headquarters of the opposition party.

PeaceFM and UTV's Senior Correspondent in the Ashanti Region, Sampson Nyamekye, confirmed the arrest of the top NDC officials during the station's News@6pm.

He said the Ashanti Regional Police command invited both Joseph Yamin and Afrifa Yamoah-Ponkoh to assist them in investigations into Monday, February 18th tragic shooting incident.

Earlier, Mr Ponkoh's househelp told the media that about 15 armed security men in two police vehicles stormed his Fumesua residence and arrested the politician.

Monday's fatal shooting at the NDC’s Regional Office in Kumasi left one person dead and another seriously wounded.

Manhunt For 4 Suspects

The Ashanti Regional Police has launched a manhunt for four people suspected to be involved in the shooting.

In an interview with Peace FM News, the Acting Regional Police PRO, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, explained that the four suspects who are believed to be behind the attack, are alleged to be part of an NDC vigilante group, 'Hawks'.

"The suspects who are currently on the police wanted list include Husein Barnabas, also known as Warrior; Mijima, Damos, and Abu Taliban," he stated.

This search comes after some executive members and supporters of the NDC were attacked at the regional office in Kumasi, on February 18, during a high powered meeting of both some national and regional executives of the party.

He added that the police were working closely with party officials to apprehend the suspects.

We Won't Shield "Hawk" Or "Parrot"

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has given the assurance that the party will not shield the perpetrators.

“We have indicated that crime has no party colours. We don’t know who perpetrated this but because of the presence of the eyewitness, I am sure it will not be difficult for the police to get people to identify the perpetrators. Whoever did this should be picked up and dealt with according to law....we are not going to shield any criminal in the NDC. Anybody in connection with this crime whether a parrot or eagle or hawks, the law must take its course.”” he added.

A flagbearer aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has denied suggestions that he is craving to be a running mate to former President John Dramani Mahama in the 2020 presidential election.

Hence, Spio-Garbrah said it would take a very strong personality like him with international experience in marketing and communication to lead the NDC to victory in 2020.

He said if he becomes the flag bearer of the NDC, his image as a politician without a corruption tag would also enhance the chances of the party winning the next election.
Therefore, Dr. Spio Garbrah is tagging former President Mahama as corrupt, based on his altercation according to GhanaSky.com analyst.

He said he has not had any meeting with Mr Mahama or any members of his campaign team to discuss the possibility of he becoming a running mate to Mr Mahama.

It was reported recently that Mr Spio-Garbrah had indicated that he would be okay with standing as a running mate to Mr Mahama for the 2020 election.

But Mr Spio-Garbrah told Graphic Online that he was going into the contest to win, and therefore, the suggestion that he would opt out to back Mr Mahama was false.

Hmmm, this is a problem for Ex-President John Mahama GhanaSky.com confirmed.

He said the rumour of he considering to partner Mr Mahama for the election was being ignited by political activists who saw him as a threat in the election.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said the political activists wanted to discourage his international partners from supporting his campaign.

Besides, he said, it was an attempt to create doubts in the minds of his supporters that he would not contest the election.

Winnable candidate

Mr Spio-Garbrah said winning the 2020 election would be a very difficult task for the NDC given the fact that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would have been in office for four years considering the election trend where all parties in power get to go for two continuous terms.
Therefore, Mr Spio-Garbrah said it would take a very strong personality like him with international experience in marketing and communication to lead the NDC to victory in 2020.
He said if he becomes the flag bearer of the NDC, his image as a politician without a corruption tag would also enhance the chances of the party winning the next election.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has embraced proposals from its
Council of Elders by reducing the filing fee for aspirants seeking to
contest the presidential primaries to GHc 300,000.

The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) acting on behalf of the
National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, has agreed to the mount
and reviewed the guidelines for the primaries.

Female contestants are to pay GHc150, 000 while Persons With Disabilities shall pay an amount of GHc 100, 000.

The deadline for the picking of nomination forms has also been extended
to Saturday, December 8, 2018, “excluding Friday 7th December 2018 which
is a National holiday.”

All the aspirants, aside from former President John Mahama, petitioned
the party’s Council of Elders over the filing fees and other grievances.

In the petition, the nine aspirants proposed that fees for collection of
forms be GHS 5,000 whiles the filing fees be GHS100,000.

They wanted an endorsement period of 6 weeks and the polling date shifted back to the first week of March 2019.

The nine aspirants also accused key members of the NEC of bias towards Mr.Mahama.

They singled out the NDC Chairman and General Secretary, Samuel Ofosu
Ampofo and Johnson Asiedu Nketia as having “made public statements to
the effect that they prefer the same individual to lead the party into
the 2020 elections.”

Find below the full statement

The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) acting on behalf of the
National Executive Committee (NEC) and upon advice from the Council of
Elders has reviewed the guidelines for the Presidential Primaries as
follows:

Picking of nomination forms by aspirants who petitioned the Council of
Elders is hereby extended to Saturday 8th December, 2018 excluding
Friday 7th December 2018 which is a National holiday.

The following dates shall also apply:

i) Filing of nomination – 17th – 18th December, 2018

ii) Vetting – 21st – 22nd December, 2018

iii) Balloting – 22nd December, 2018

iv) Appeals – 22nd – 24th December, 2018

Consequently the new date for the Primaries is now Saturday 26th January, 2019.

For the avoidance of doubt all other provisions of the guidelines remain unchanged.

These decision has been communicated to the Council of Elders, who will
be meeting the petitioners tomorrow Thursday, 6th December, 2018 to
convey the decisions herein

FEC wishes to use this opportunity to reassure all aspirants of a level
playing field to ensure that the outcome of the elections shall reflect
the true wishes and aspirations of the entire membership of the NDC.

Dr. Tony Aidoo, a staunch member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has described the 40-year national development plan for Ghana as nonsensical.

Responding to a question on Accra-based Starr FM on Tuesday, 20 November 2018 about comments made by President Nana Akufo-Addo in the early part of 2018 concerning the need to create a database for the various sectors in the country’s economy, the former Ambassador to the Netherlands said: “Data is everything, my friend; it is not only for births and deaths, and not only for electoral register, it is not only for monitoring and evaluation, it is also for planning.

“You need data to plan; you look at a community: how many toilets do they have? Potable water availability, how much can we spend to provide those items? What about the neighbourhood community? … All those are matters of data.

You don’t plan without data; the so-called 40-year plan that was developed under the Mahama administration was to me, nonsense. How do you plan without data?”

“You don’t have the adequate staff at the local level of the planning authority, which is the district assembly to collect and give you the data. At the sectoral level, no data is available because people are reluctant to release the data and you said you have done a plan”, he wondered.

The former Senior Presidential Aide and Head of Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit of the Office of the President from 2009 to 2013, said in his opinion: “A plan is one that is monetised and quantified, without these two elements, there is no plan”.

Kenneth Nana Yaw Kuntunkununku Ofori-Atta, known as Ken Ofori-Attah is a Ghanaian economist and an investment banker and co-founder of Databank in Ghana. He currently serves as Minister of Finance. He was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo on 10 January 2017.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta presented the 2019 Budget statement to the Parliament house under the theme - “A Stronger Economy, for Jobs and Prosperity”

1. Right Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, today the fifteenth day of November 2018, on the authority of the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I beg to move that this august House approves the Financial Policy of the Government of the Republic of Ghana for the year ending 31st December, 2019.

2. Mr. Speaker the authority of His Excellency the President, and in keeping with the requirement under Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, may I respectfully present the Budget Statement and Economic Policies of Government for 2019 to this Honourable House.

3. Mr. Speaker, this statement is an abridged version of the 2019 Budget Statement. I would like to request the Hansard Department to capture the entire Budget Statement and Economic Policy.

4. I also submit before this august House, the 2018 Annual Report on the Petroleum Funds, in accordance with Section 48 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815), as amended.

5. Mr. Speaker, the theme of this year’s budget is “A Stronger Economy, for Jobs and Prosperity”. The budget represents the third of four budget statements of the government.

It, therefore, offers us an opportunity to take a mid-term review of the performance of the Government in managing the economy and how we intend to accelerate the programme of growing the economy, protecting the vulnerable, and creating jobs and prosperity for the Ghanaian people over the next financial year.

6. I do not take lightly the significance of this moment and opportunity we are granted annually to determine how the precious assets of Ghana – our people, our land, our natural resources and our treasury should be stewarded for national growth and human development.

7. Despite the challenges, we approach this process with genuine humility and gratitude to a great God.

We recognize that while current resources are insufficient to meet every need and every demand of every Ghanaian, there are no limitations on our collective potential, our will and our hope that the sacrifices we make and the seeds we sow today will achieve sustainable results putting Ghana on an irreversible path of enviable empowerment.

8. With all the humility I can muster, Mr. Speaker, permit me to say that I am proud to say that the Akufo-Addo government is delivering on this four-year resounding mandate that the people of Ghana has given us.

This is evident in the impressive strides the nation has made in the past 22 months.

9. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the President, I wish to thank you all, the citizens of this country, for your patience, perseverance, sacrifices, activism and partnership that you have extended to this government.

So far-reaching and non-partisan has these national sacrifices been, that even now, some members of the Minority in Parliament have decided to lead the campaign for cleaner environment by dumping their gas- guzzling Toyota Land cruisers to ride bicycles to work.

For example, a former Deputy Minister for Power, during the unforgiving ‘Dumsor’ era under President John Dramani Mahama, was seen two evenings ago riding his bicycle to a luxury furniture shop on the Spintex Road.

10. Yes, Mr. Speaker, we have, in the last two budget years,
taken some tough decisions to get the country out of some very rough seas. We are not proud of the fact that there is still hardship in the country.

But we are comforted by the fact that we have managed to ease the impact of the hardships that the Ghanaian people had been resigned to prior to December 7, 2016.

We are not there yet. We still have a long way to go in fulfilling the manifest destiny of this blessed land. Indeed, we are being repaid for “the years the locusts have eaten”.

11. So, Mr. Speaker, what is, however, clear is that the nation is moving forward under this government and moving forward in the right direction.

12.We are now on course to exit the IMF programme by the end of this year. It has been a collective effort by all of us – Government, for exercising the kind of macro-economic competence and discipline that was evidently lacking in the past; and, the people for their patience, understanding, and keeping faith with their government.

The programme may have had its critics because of the constraints it imposed. But it was a necessary pill because by 2014, the government then had lost its fiscal discipline and had very little choice but to seek the bailout.

We are grateful to the IMF and are determined to maintain a combination of economic discipline and vibrancy that will ensure that we will not have to be rescued in that manner in the future.

13. Mr. Speaker, the philosophy of this government has not been to throw our hands in the air and offer excuses.

The President, of course, set the standard in his first State of the Nation address. He said: “I was not elected by the overwhelming majority of the Ghanaian people to complain. I was elected to get things done. I was elected to fix what is broken and my government and I are determined to do just that.”

14. Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember what it was in order to appreciate the work that has been done to fix the mess: